Spain and Portugal 2024

[felix2566]

Hi All,

Doing another 2 week trip through northern Spain and Portugal. Will try and update it each day with the routes that we took, plus the all important pictures that we all like!

Day 1
Bilbao to Parqu Nacional de los Picos de Europa.
Trails: Pendes, Colio, Barrio la Parte, Potes.

Most of the trails were pretty straight forward, some norrow parts through the villages having to thread the 80 series between the old buildings. The last stretch of trails down into Potes was a little on the narrow and steep side for my comfort but we made it slowly and steadily!

I can share the routes from Wikiloc if any one is interested.

 

[garygiles1963]

Looking forward to seeing some pics. Have a great trip.

G.

 

[felix2566]

Day 2
Picos Nacional Park
Espinana to Sotres and back was around 30 miles round trip.

Turns out that majority of off road trials within the park are off limits unless you have a specific pass to drive one them. So we took advice to stick to the main trail through the middle of the park.

Was lovely day, nothing too challenging, some of the trail at the beginning is well graded and concreted in parts. But still well worth doing for the amazing scenery. We were surrounded by mountains, the tallest of which is 2600m high. The trail peaks at around 1500m.

 

[Rodger]

You have just travelled the only trail in the Spanish Nacional Parks system that you can legally. You can travel freely in the Natural Parks.
In the Nacional Parks even the rangers have mountain bikes as opposed to their motorcycles since the law changed.
The fines are very heavy. Guess how I know.

Enjoy the Natural Parks

Rodger

 

[felix2566]

Wow, yes, glad we took the advice from the campsite owner. I'm guessing the fines are pretty heavy!

Today was a day off from trail driving, was fun up and over the mountains inside the park on our way to the small village of Cain de Valdeon. We had been told of a great walk through the gorge. It was really impressive, touch nerve wracking for me as I'm not a massive fan of heights!

 

[felix2566]

Not done a whole lot of off roading the last few days as we were sightseeing on the north and west coast of Spain, went out all the way to Finisterre. We're now in NW Portugal for the next few days of some more good trails I hope!

 

[felix2566]

Day 3
N Portugal
Campos to Capella de Nossa Senhora de Viso

Proper day of off roading today, was a 75km route we followed, I'd say over 3/4 was off road, not all was the most technical, the last sections were big, wide and quite smooth trails built to service wind turbines.
But lots of the road bits took us through proper little old villages, the LC just squeaked through a few of them!

 

[oneafrikan]

Hi All,

Doing another 2 week trip through northern Spain and Portugal. Will try and update it each day with the routes that we took, plus the all important pictures that we all like!

Day 1
Bilbao to Parqu Nacional de los Picos de Europa.
Trails: Pendes, Colio, Barrio la Parte, Potes.

Most of the trails were pretty straight forward, some norrow parts through the villages having to thread the 80 series between the old buildings. The last stretch of trails down into Potes was a little on the narrow and steep side for my comfort but we made it slowly and steadily!

I can share the routes from Wikiloc if any one is interested.

Yes, please could you share the trails from / WikiLoc - much appreciated!
Thinking of Spain again this year...

 

[felix2566]

This is my profile on wikiloc, I've saved all the trails I've been on in Spain and Portugal

Explore trails from Felix Wiseman on Wikiloc: Felix Wiseman's trails and waypoints | Wikiloc - [Leaving Land Cruiser Club]

The app is super easy to use, we just find routes to follow each day that take us roughly in the direction we're interested in going.

 

[oneafrikan]

Thanks, have just followed you on WikiLoc!
Will be watching your trails!

 

[felix2566]

Saw that. Hope you get over here to do some exploring!

 

[oneafrikan]

Me too ;-)

 

[felix2566]

Day 4

Varzea to Cunhedo

These trails were mainly touring rather than full off road, some longer road sections through pretty mountain villages and lots on the bigger trails made for the wind turbines. Annoyingly the fun tech bit was way too overgrown with overhanging bushes for me to want to carry on. Had to do a million point turn on one of the hairpins and go a different route.

 

[felix2566]

Day 5
Lavradio - Trevim - Gondramaz 55km

Bit more slow going today as the trails were quite a bit steeper and more technical. But I prefer them, feels more of a challenge. Loads of driving through acres and acres of eucalyptus forests, they have so much growing here to be made into paper. Kind of a shame as the native forests have so much more variety growing in them, we drove through plenty of them too though.

I'm constantly impressed with the capabilities of the LC, nothing seems to phase it. Stuff that I'm uncertain about driving up or down it just takes so easily in its stride. Low 1st or 2nd seems to be able to get you up any slope, even on lose gravel and stone that is very common around here. Some sections I got out and walked to plan a bit of a route. I'm happy to say I'm not an experienced off road driver, so I'm more than happy to take it slow and not break anything!

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

We're just returning from a trip to Portugal. We found some fantastic tracks and scenery but barely scratched the surface of all the possibilities. Have a great time.

 

[felix2566]

Exactly, there is so much to explore, I love the freedom you have to pretty much go where you like. So far not had any negative interactions with people as we have driven through tiny rural villages.

Most of the time it seems more surprise than anything else, 'what is that thing, doing here!' Haha

 

[thelal]

Yes, please could you share the trails from / WikiLoc - much appreciated!
Thinking of Spain again this year...

interested as well. Keep up with the pictures

 

[felix2566]

Just to round this off, didnt really do any more proper day off road after the trip above.

We stopped off in Tomar for the day, absolutely stunning castle /monastery there. Well worth a visit.
We then headed south to Lisbon where I dropped my other half off for her to fly home, I then had the joy of driving all the way from there to Santander.

We did around 1800 miles, average around the 20mpg mark.
Had no mechanical or electrical issues. Have developed a loud crack noise from the back when its flexing from one way to the other. Seems to make the noise once and then not again for most of the day. Did do a spanner and pry bar check part way through the trip, but couldnt find anything lose or moving too much.
Front diff breather seems to be breathing quite heavily, not sure why?
Rear difflock position switch wiring has corroded through and needs fixing.
Once the starter motor stuck on, wouldnt turn off with the key, but 'restarting' it seemed to relatch it. Never happened again.

But apart from that she ran faultlessly. Will be off on more trips again soon!

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

The starter motor sticking on can be an early warning the copper contacts in the solenoid are worn and may soon stick fast, causing burnt out wiring and starter motor if you're not quick enough disconnecting the batteries.

 

[felix2566]

Solenoid on the starter itsself? Maybe converting to 12v start might be pushed up the priority list a bit faster